Hemp is another excellent choice for Shibari, made from the Cannabis Sativa plant, it is the strongest natural shibari ropes, as well as being long lasting, and easy to maintain.  The fibre naturally has a waxy texture, which creates a density making it great at holding knots.

Why Is Hemp So Expensive? 

Ropes are made for either industrial use or clothing, with the key distinction to most people will be the smell. Industrial hemp smells earthy, like goats or gym lockers, while hemp for clothing is odorless. Industrial ropes are made quickly and cheaply with minimal processing. Clothing-grade hemp, though stronger due to extra cleaning, is usually too expensive for most boat builders

Be Aware Of Imitation Hemp and confusing terms

The term 'hemp' can also refer to a natural fibre, and some rope sellers label cotton ropes as hemp. So, not all 'hemp ropes' come from the cannabis plant; they can be made from cotton or jute. Because hemp is labor-intensive to produce, it's usually more expensive than other natural fibre ropes used in shibari.

How do you know if the Shibari Rope you have is made from Real Hemp?

There is no easy way to tell the difference between the different materials without prior experience, but I will give a rough explanation which might help.

Cotton-  will feel fairly familiar to anyone who's worn a piece of clothing that is made with cotton, it feels cool to touch and will burn into ash.

Jute - Looks and smells the same as the scratchy, beige shopping tote bags that you might buy in a supermarket, a thread will burn to ash.

Hemp - Beige in appearance like jute, but will feel waxy in your hand, may smell goaty, a thread will burn to ash.